Love Letters
by theonewhosawitall
Summary: Arthur has vanished. Morgana goes looking around his room for him where she stumbles upon Arthur's love letters to Merlin in a box on the desk. Will it reveal where the prince has gone to?
1. the box

"Arthur?" morgana said peering around the door into the Prince's room. No one was there. She went in anyway, shutting the door carefully behind her.

Morgana looked around for Arthur. Under the bed, under the bed covers, behind the screen, in the cupboard, in the wardrobe, she looked wherever was big enough for the prince of Camelot to hide. He was never there.

Then she noticed the papers all over the desk. Most of them were bills or speeches or contracts he had to sign. Nothing out of the ordinary that she could see. She shuffled the papers to the side and piled them together.

Then she found a box. A black leather box that had been hidden under weeks' worth of junk paper. It had a padlock that wasn't locked and hung on the joint. Arthur had obviously been keeping it secret for a while. Now he had vanished, he was letting whoever found it, in on the secret.

Out of curiosity Morgana opened the box. It was just full of papers. Morgana sat on the bed to figure out what they were.

She placed the box on the bed bedside her and took the first page.

_Dear Morgana, _

_You're probably the one to be reading this. You or Gwen. You're probably wondering where I am aren't you? Its fine, I promise I'm safe. I can't tell you where I am. You might tell someone. Not that I don't trust you morgana, but I don't know if it is you reading this. It could be anyone. It's them I can't trust. So I want to tell you that I am fine. Merlin and I are fine. It's a pretty long story! It's been going on a while. I don't have that time to write it all out here. So I'll let our letters tell you. But basically, it started about a month ago. A month ago, when I first found a paper in my pocket of my rope._

_Arthur_

Morgana placed the paper down and picked up the next paper. That's how she started reading the love story between a prince and a servant, via love notes…


	2. decleration and agreement

_Dear Clot pole_

_You look great in this blue tunic. Maybe you should wear it more often. It matches your eyes and I like that a lot!_

_Guess who!_

**Dear Merlin,**

**Do you really like that tunic? I think the red one brings out my eyes more! Plus it always matches something you wear and that is what I want!**

**Arthur**

_Dear Clotpole_

_The red one is nice but it fades your eyes. Plus the blue one goes well with your red cloak! It really stands out from your red jacket or your red tunic or your red cloak or your red anything else in your wardrobe!_

_How did you know it was me anyway?_

_Merlin_

**Dear Idiot, **

**I can always tell when it's you. It's so obvious a blind man can tell!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Are you saying that we share a bond so deep a blind man could see it? A sort of- profound bond?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot,**

**Maybe that's what I mean. We're defiantly like two sides of the same coin aren't we?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_You'd be surprised at how many people think that! By the way you looked gorgeous today!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot,**

**You look beautiful all the time anyway!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_How long have we known each other?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Long enough.**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_So can I tell you a secret?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**You can always tell me anything.**

**Arthur**

_Arthur I think I'm in love with you._

**That's funny. I know I'm in love with you!**


	3. Gwen finds out

Morgana couldn't stop herself from aww-ing. Gwen heard her and peered around the door.

"ma'lady? Did you find Arthur?" she asked. Morgana looked up in surprise.

"No..." Morgana glanced at the first paper.

"Morgana? What are you reading?"

"Gwen can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!"

"Then read these!"

Morgana waited for Gwen to read the first few letters. As soon as Gwen aww-ed loudly as well, Morgana grabbed the next message.

Gwen crawled up onto the bed next to the king's ward to read the prince and his servant's love letters with her.


	4. a bunch of notes

_Clotpole_

_I liked the way you handled things today. It showed true leadership and bravery to stand up to your father like that! The people respect you for that. You should be proud!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot,**

**If I was truly expected to be a great king, father wouldn't have trapped me here. Can you at least TRY to come and see me? I miss you. I hate it here!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_The Camelot cells aren't meant to be LIKED! They're cells! I promise to try. Oh and just FYI I think Gaius is reading our messages!_

_Merlin_

_**How DARE you suggest such a thing Merlin! I am NOT reading your messages. Gwaine is. I'm just listening to him reading them.**_

_Clotpole_

_We really need a better way to get messages to each other!_

_Merlin._

**Idiot**

**I think Morgana is beginning to suspect us. She says it's strange how I prefer you to bring me my food rather than some kitchen girl. Maybe you shouldn't come tomorrow!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_What did you tell Morgana? She says she knows my secret and she promises to keep it. What secret? Our secret?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Don't worry so much. It's not good for you to worry!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Anyone would think you cared!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Maybe I care more than you think.**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Why is Gwen offering me her old dresses? What did you tell them about me?_

_Merlin._

**Idiot**

**Nothing! I don't know why you're complaining though. That colour suits you!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Did you tell everyone I wear women's clothes?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Of course not! Gwaine did. I just failed to correct him!**

**Arthur.**

_Clotpole_

_I will find a way to make you regret that Arthur Pendragon!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Why is there so much milk outside the door? What did you tell Gwaine?**

**Arthur**


	5. slumber party

The giggles from the girls in Arthur's room caught Gwaine's attention. He leaned in the door way to check everything was in order.

"Ladies? Giggling?" Gwaine said. Morgana and Gwen looked up in guilty shock like they'd been caught red handed.

"Gwaine! We were just… morgana?" Gwen said.

"We're just…just…umm," morgana said.

"Just reading the _private_ letters between Arthur and Merlin? The _personal_ messages that the prince has gone through so much effort to hide? The _private personal secrets_ that the prince has been keeping from us?" Gwaine said sternly.

Gwen and Morgana looked down at the papers in their hands guiltily. "Yes. We're sorry Gwaine," they said.

"Sorry about reading the love letters? The personal secrets? You're sorry about it? Don't be. Budge up and pass me that one!" Gwaine said.

Gwaine climbed onto the bed and laid across it. He took a page and read it quickly. They took it in turns to read the letters in turn between the lovers.

Gwaine laid on his back reading a page. Morgana laid across the bed on her stomach with her chin in her hands and her legs, from her knees, up. Gwen laid on her side propping her head on her arm as she read.

They looked like a bunch of twelve year old girls reading a diary about a crush, at a slumber party cooing, aww-ing and oo-ing at every opportunity.


	6. please dont call me sire

**Idiot**

**Too many people know about us now. I don't think it's safe. We have to be more careful.**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_It's not safe. It's never safe. If you're suggesting what I think you are, I don't want to be safe._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**You don't have to want to be safe. I want you to be safe. We have to take a break. For us.**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_It won't work. It'll either work too well and I can't stand to stay and watch you fall for someone else, or we will be back together and found out within a week._

_Merlin_

**Merlin we can't risk being caught. **

_I don't care. I still want to be with you._

**Merlin if we get caught we will be separated. Forever.**

_Can't we just run away?_

**You can't run from problems forever merlin. **

_Just watch us! You and me! We can do anything! We can get away! The love we will is more powerful than any magic. _

**Didn't Mordred say that Merlin? **

_It's still true._

**Merlin I hate this as much as you do but it's for the best. I'm very good at making choices for the best.**

_It sounds like I don't have a choice. You seem to have made up your mind. I don't need to be consulted! don't worry about me. I'm just the servant being pushed around again! Like always. Pushed around because of unchangeable secrets that tear us apart. That leaves me with another giant hole. _

**Merlin don't say that.**

_Arthur this is why we can't have nice things! As soon as something good happens, someone has to rip it from the seams and you're never brave enough to fight for it! That's really why we can't be together isn't it? Because it's too easy to let the good die because your father says we can't have it. _

**Merlin I'm sorry that it has to be this way.**

_I am too._

**I still love you. We just can't be together.**

_I still love you. That's not going to change Arthur._

**I hope it can. After a while. One day the pain will go and we will be able to love again.**

_Arthur you cabbage head, that will never happen. Not for me. I don't want it to. _

**I'm going to miss you calling me cabbage head and Clotpole and everything else!**

_I'm sorry I have to stop sire._

**We can still be friends can't we?**

_I don't think so sire. _

**Please don't call me sire.**


	7. A harsh reality

The next page was read out by Gwaine. He read it to the eager slumber party all of whom were on the edge of their seats.

_"And that, dear sister, is that. I wish I could say that it doesn't end there. I so desperately wish I can write that something else happened next. That either I, or merlin, were brave enough to fight father and stay together. But not all fairy tales have a good ending, but all must come to an end. Even if it breaks a thousand hearts. Most stories do. So that's our story. I couldn't just stay here and watch Merlin work as another servant, and flirt with others. I had to get away. You understand don't you? Heartbreak makes you do crazy things. Tell father… I dunno. Tell him love is the greatest bond you can ever have or something. But this is where our story ends._ _Maybe…maybe not every story is meant to have a happily ever after!_

_Arthur!"_

"WHAT?!" the three of them yelled.

"It can't end there!" Gwen said.

"There must be another letter!" Gwaine said.

"That can't be IT!" Morgana said.

Morgana grabbed the box and pulled the next page out. It was just another blank piece of paper. "That's it?" Gwen said sadly.

"That's terrible!" morgana said.

"That's heart breaking!" Gwaine agreed.

The three of them sighed together. They just couldn't accept that that was just… it. No happily ever after. They couldn't help but feel the harsh burden of the reality in which the lived. Gwen neatly sorted the Letters back into the box, in order of course. She tucked the bock under the pillow, and they left the room together. Gwaine whipped a tear as he shut the door.


	8. the story continues

The next morning, seconds after Gwen had tied the ribbon on Morgana's dress, Gwaine burst in through the doors. "D'you know what bothers me about those notes?!" he said loudly as he did.

The girls looked at him in surprise. It didn't take them long to recover from the shock.

"The fact it stops with their hearts broken?" Gwen said.

"No. morgana?"

"The fact that Arthur had to leave because Merlin couldn't be with him?" morgana suggested.

"Wrong again."

"That Uther wouldn't let them be together?"

"Nope."

"That they call each other names all the time?"

"No!"

"We don't know Gwaine it'll be quicker just to tell us!" morgana sighed.

Ok, you ready for this? At the start, Arthur says Merlin and I are fine. Merlin AND I are fine. He says why he left, but doesn't say why Merlin's missing too. He doesn't show any other knowledge of Merlin being missing either! Not forgetting we never saw the bottom of the box. We saw a blank piece of paper. A blank piece of paper we didn't bother to check under!"

"What are you saying?" Gwen asked

"I'm saying, ladies, the story is not yet over!"

There was a moment's silence. The three of them looked at each other frozen.

The three of them burst into Arthur's empty chambers and lept on the bed. Morgana threw open the box and tore through the pages until they got to the last blank page.

They say back in hope. Everything rested on this.

"Do it!" Gwaine whispered.

"Finish the story!" Gwen whispered.

Morgana lifted the page with trembling fingers…

There written on the page below was five words…

"Got you. The story continues…"


	9. forgiveness isnt cheap

**Idiot**

**I can't stand this. You looked ravishing tonight. All I wanted to do was kiss you but I couldn't and it was slaying me! We can't be apart Merlin. I can't be without you. I don't care what father thinks. I would rather give up the throne of Camelot than spend another day without you beside me merlin.**

**I love you.**

**Arthur**

**Merlin**

**Please! I'm trying to say we should still be together. I can't say it any other way. I know I hurt you. I'm so sorry about it. It hurts me too you know. I feel empty without you. Every little thing that you do amazes me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I can't imagine life being bearable any other way. Please merlin. I beg of you. Say you still love me!**

**Arthur**

**Merlin**

**I deeply regret what I said. I know it was wrong. It caused unnecessary pain. Please answer me. It took guts for you to admit you loved me and I threw that away. I realize now that it was the biggest mistake of my life. You are so brave merlin. The bravest man I ever met. Please reply. Please keep me brave.**

**A hopeless romantic**

**_Mer_lin**

**Please. It's killing me to see you around and be filled with regret. I'm apparently hopelessly devoted to you. There's nothing I can do. I'm too in love with you.**

**A fool hopelessly in love**

Merlin,

You told me that the way we felt would never go. I still have the letters. I keep them in a box on my desk. If you truly believe what you said, meet me at the weapons room at midnight.

Arthur

_Arthur_

_I've been looking for the right words for a while now. The perfect way to tell you how empty and dull and void my life has been the last few weeks. A way to say that it hurt that we had to break up. That I can't stand it around here without you. The truth is I still haven't found them. I still love you. I said it would never go and I meant it. I'll be there at midnight. But I won't forgive you. Not so quickly. So get your act together because begging for my forgiveness isn't cheap. You're the one that I want Arthur. The one that I need. So you better shape up. And don't pull the plug because you're too scared to fight for us. Please don't hurt me again._

_Merlin_

**Merlin my darling,**

**I could never hurt you again. Hurting you is like losing a limb. I don't think I'd survive if I had to go through it again.**

**Arthur**


	10. a weekend away

**Merlin**

**You were so cute last night. I like your hair fluffy. It make you look like a kitten. I love that look on you sweetie.**

**Arthur**

_Arthur_

_Are you calling me a kitten you clot?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**I'm calling you adorable. I love you.**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_I love you too._

_Merlin._

**Idiot**

**Forgiven me yet?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Yeah I do. I can't stay mad at you!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**We should probably not spend so much time together in public. Maybe try and keep it a better secret this time. Do you think we can?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_As long as were together it'll be fine._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**I'm glad you said that. Meet me in the weapon room?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Gaius says I have to get him some herbs from darkling wood. I'll be gone for about a day and a half._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**I wish I could come but it wouldn't be safe! We'd be caught.**

**Arthur.**

_Clotpole _

_I know. I'll be home soon Arthur. Then we can spend the night together. I Promise._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**I missed you. We should go away. Just you and me. Is it mad to hope for a war just so you and I can go away?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Yes. Especially because the army would have to come too. Leon almost caught us last time. What if he got us again? I've no idea how we got away with saying I was teaching you to dance and I don't think he would believe us again._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**I can't believe he brought it either! I would be more likely if you were teaching me poetry! **

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_That's what we'll say next time ey? The great Prince Arthur of Camelot learning to do poetry!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Shut up merlin we are not learning poetry! But we could go away!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Where would we go Arthur? What would we do? How would we live?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**We could get a farm. We could hide in caves until we end up somewhere no one will find us. Just you and in a place with mountains and lakes and farms and a village community that doesn't recognise us as Prince Arthur and servant merlin but as Arthur and merlin. Somewhere just for us!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_You want your own Eldor. We'll find somewhere one day Arthur. But we wouldn't really leave. Uther wouldn't let you go and I couldn't leave Gaius._

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**We could leave a note!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_We leave nothing but notes but we still have forbidden love don't we!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Alright Youre right. But pack a bag. Just in case something happens!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_I've had my bags packed since day one!_

_Merlin._


	11. Something to do with uther

"Awww they've gone away for the weekend isn't that just the sweetest?!" Gwaine said. Morgana and Gwen looked at each other. Gwaine cleared his throat." I mean um, good for them!" he said. Gwen shook her head smiling.

"They can't have gone away because Arthur would have said he had a battle to attend to or a village or something went wrong!" Gwen said.

"Or that he lost a bet to me for two silk dresses. I hope he went for that one because the last ones he got me were beautiful!" Morgana said.

"And we finally know why he got you them!" Gwen said.

"But he hasn't said anything like that or Uther would have made someone tell Leon to take over training and he's as lost as the rest of us!" Gwaine said.

"So there's more to the story?" Gwen said.

"Much more!" Gwaine said.

"And I have a horrible feeling it's something to do with Uther!" Morgana said.


	12. the escape

_Clotpole_

_Is this what it will be like now? Forbidden to contact each other because Uther is scared of our love?! Will he carry out his threat? Why did he even walk in?! Why did he have to walk in?!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**It could be worse I suppose! At last you're out of the stocks and he dropped the death charge! Thank god it was only a kiss his saw. Imagine what would happen if he saw anything else! God forbid that they find our crow!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_I couldn't live like this. It's worse than when it was through choice! This is torture!_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Still got your bag packed?**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Are you suggesting what I think you are?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Merlin what's better, only seeing you on the off chance and forbidden to contact you in any way, or leaving Morgana, Gaius, the knights and Uther behind but you and me being together? **

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_Maybe you're not _always_ wrong. How will we do this though?_

_Merlin_

**Idiot**

**Easy! Tonight, and it has to be tonight, I have bribed the cook to give everyone mild food poisoning. While they're occupied, then you and I can meet down at the old tavern and we can leave!**

**Arthur**

_Clotpole_

_We can't leave without an explanation. What about Gwaine and Morgana and Gwen?! I mean Gwaine's probably going to be in the tavern and we'll have to tell him something!_

_Merlin_

**Merlin you're over thinking this! Gwaine won't see us because he'll be too busy drinking and making a fool of himself to see us until it's too late. Then we can just leave our messages in a box on my desk and tomorrow Morgana, or someone, will find it. We will be long gone and they will know the truth!**

_Alright. Let's do it! If it means you and me can be together confidently in peace without having to hide, it's worth it all._

**I love you**_._

_I love you more. Good luck._

**I don't need luck. You're all the luck I need.**


	13. A final farewell

_"So my dear sister, _

_Merlin and I are together. We are safe if we're together. Its apart that risks our lives. I really don't think we could have survived another day apart._

_ I don't know if you would call this ending happy per say. I mean we did have to leave everyone and everything we love behind for ourselves. But I know we're extremely happy. I wish father had accepted us so we could say but such is life. You can't win every battle._

_I hope you can understand that we had to go. I hope you get that we really could not stay. Not for all the trouble Camelot has caused to us. Maybe one day we can come back to Camelot after Uther had passed and live how we were meant to. _

_ In a day or two we'll send a crow with an address. Come and visit us any time. For now just tell father that… I still don't know. Just remind him that love makes you do crazy things I guess. Unless you can think of anything better! Tell Gaius that the strongest magic is what binds two souls together. Also tell him that merlin is such a girl! And that I am a complete cabbage head! You might not need to tell Gaius that, I'm sure he and the rest of Camelot knows that! _

_Morgana, I have fallen in love with a complete and utter girl who pretends to be me just to insult me! This could go in one of two ways, unimaginably horrifyingly wrong, or so right it's beyond your wildest dreams! This adventure has this path too, but even if it goes so wrong but it's going to be so worth it!_

_ That's life isn't it? Even if it's a mistake, it's a mistake you made that you have learned from. There's no better kind than a mistake that takes you on an adventure! __I hope our paths cross again one day! We'll be the couple that's full of bliss!_

_We wish you a happily ever after!_

_Arthur & __Merlin_"

Arthur and Merlin's names curled across the bottom of the page. The ink from Arthur's T met the ink of merlin's L and the words seemed to explode with fancy curling patterns of someone who was trying to kill time. The words seemed so neatly written, even though the handwriting was constantly switching! The ink was shining almost as if their blissful love had enchanted it. That was what melted the readers hearts.


	14. three keys a secret & an overworked crow

The sound that came from Arthur's room was the same sound you would get if you took a basket of kittens into a classroom of little girls.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwww!"

Leon poked his head around the door to investigate. "Everything alright ma'lady?" he asked. He had to double take as he saw the giant group hug happening on the bed.

"Yes, yes Leon everything is just…perfect. What a happy ending!" Morgana said.

"All…right then. Uther is asking for you. For any more information on the prince!" Leon added.

"Thank you, I'll just be a minute!" morgana said. Leon bowed his head and walked off.

They neatly sorted the notes back into the box in the correct order of course. Then Gwaine rummaged through the desk to find the key. When he finally did, he also found one for the drawer.

"Gwen, can you make two more of this key?" Gwaine asked. Gwen took them to examine it. Then she scoffed.

"Piece of cake!" she said.

"In that case, Morgana go and see what the king wants. Pretend you have no idea where Arthur is! Gwen go start making the keys, I'm going to go and lead the knights in practise!" Gwaine said.

"Meet back here in an hour?" morgana said

"Great!"

"Fine."

When they did meet back up, they each took a key. Each key had a string around it. The key fit the lock on the drawer perfectly. Inside the key to the box was under the box itself. They hung the keys around their necks. The key sat on their chest above their heart. Each key was a promise. A promise to keep a secret. And the keys were a bond that binded the serving girl, the knight and the king's ward to secrecy. The secrecy that firmed their friendship and, by extension of an overworked crow, their friendship with merlin and Arthur.


End file.
